The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel embraces a significant homecoming as the tribe reclaims 1,107 acres of its ancestral land in the San Felipe Valley. Funded by the California Natural Resources Agency's (CNRA) Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Program, this move marks a critical step towards indigenous-led conservation efforts. The acquisition, as detailed in a bulletin from CNRA, encompasses a vast array of habitats, from desert riparian woodlands to oak forests, supporting an array of endangered species.
Chairman Kevin Osuna of the Iipay Nation underscored the profound nature of the return, mentioning to CNRA, "The return of these 1,107 acres of Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel ancestral land is more than a restoration of territory, it is a restoration of identity, responsibility, and healing." The land will host the Ewiinally Traditional Ecological Knowledge Center (ETEKC), envisioned as an epicenter for educational exchange and community engagement in traditional stewardship practices. Additionally, a new conservation management plan will be rolled out to open the conserved lands for access by adjacent communities.
California Natural Resources Agency celebrated the historic step on social media, heralding it as a stride forward for sovereignty and biodiversity protection within the state's larger environmental strategy. "This historic land return strengthens sovereignty & protects biodiversity," announced the agency in a post on their official X page. The post quotes Chairman Osuna, reinforcing the holistic impact of the land reclamation: “This return is a restoration of identity, responsibility, & healing.”
🎉BIG NEWS: The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel has reclaimed 1,107 acres of ancestral land in San Felipe Valley through CNRA's Tribal Nature-Based Solutions program. This historic land return strengthens sovereignty & protects biodiversity. #30x30CA #LandBack “This return is a… pic.twitter.com/SpF8W3yrWm
— California Natural Resources Agency (@CalNatResources) August 19, 2025
Underpinning this return of land is California's ambitious 30x30 initiative, to conserve 30% of California's lands and coastal waters by 2030—an initiative that acknowledges the role of ancestral land return in meeting broader conservation goals. Geneva E.B. Thompson, CNRA's Deputy Secretary for Tribal Affairs, highlighted the importance of indigenous leadership in this process, stating to CNRA, “This extraordinary landscape will now be protected and cared for through Indigenous knowledge and leadership, advancing biodiversity conservation and climate resilience across the San Felipe Valley.” A Land Return Ceremony is expected to take place this month, with the INSY hosting it in San Diego County.
